I really enjoy comfort foods that can be eaten for a casual and satisfying family dinner, but also be converted into an elegant and formal dish. Pot au feu, which means “pot on the fire”, is the French national dish. The origins of this dish go back hundreds of years to a life when you would have a pot hanging over the fire all day. In the morning water would be added along with whatever meat, vegetables and herbs you had. It would simmer slowly and tenderize the meats and vegetables while turning the water into a flavorful broth. When it came to mealtime, everyone would take out their portion from the pot and enjoy a hearty meal. 

In its simplest forms, you used what was available to you. Meats were sometimes scarce, and vegetables were always seasonal or what you could keep longer, as in root vegetables, which became a common ingredient in this dish. As time passed and society changed, it became more accepted to use beef as meat and to include carrots, onions, potatoes and cabbage. 

The idea of a Sunday roast is not much of a stretch from this idea at its foundation and may be a source of the original idea. It is a simple and delicious concept that many cultures have similar dishes to compare. Caldo de res is a Mexican soup similar in concept with a Spanish influence. Versions of hot pot are parts of Chinese, Korean and Japanese cuisines. They are large pots of flavored broth to which a large assortment of meats and vegetables are added until cooked and often enjoyed with a group. 

Over the years I have made and enjoyed many versions of this delicious dish. From adding a roast and a bunch of vegetables to a crock pot and letting them simmer all day, to carefully preparing each component and bringing them together artfully in a bowl and then covered in a crystal-clear flavorful broth. All versions of this dish come together in a comforting, warming and satisfying meal enjoyed by yourself or even better with a group of people you also enjoy. 

One of the classes I teach at Lincoln Land Community College is the public restaurant, Bistro Verde. It is a chance for the students in our culinary program to get real time experience in a restaurant. We just finished our casual carry-out model of the restaurant and are transitioning to the dine-in model. I wanted this class to learn about the more polished version of pot au feu as part of their menu. We will be gently cooking each component of the soup separately and placing them thoughtfully in a bowl. The broth will be a clear beef consommé. This will be a fun and useful method to learn. Traditionally the dish is served with a side of grainy mustard, a bit of sour cream and a piece of baguette. This is how we will serve it. 

If you are interested in joining my students and I for lunch at Bistro Verde, we are open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11a.m. to 1 p.m. starting March 27 until May 2 (closed April 23-25). This is the version of pot au feu we will be serving.

Pot au feu

Ingredients

• 1 beef chuck roast
• 1 pound pearl onions
• 1 pound baby carrots
• 1 pound baby Yukon gold potatoes
• 1/2 head of cabbage
• 4 quarts beef broth
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 spring parsley
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon whole black pepper
• Salt to taste
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 cup mirepoix, equal parts celery, onion and carrots, roughly chopped
• 10 egg whites
• 1 quart beef broth
• Grainy mustard
• Sour cream
• 1 baguette

Directions

1. Cut the roast into individual portions.
2. In a pot, add the roast pieces, thyme, parsley, garlic, bay leaf, cloves, salt and pepper.
3. Simmer gently covered until the meat is tender but not falling apart. 
4. Remove the meat from the broth, and set aside.
5. Cook the vegetables one at a time in the broth until tender, and set aside. This can be done simultaneously in several pots, separating the broth into smaller portions. 
6. Add the ground beef, mirepoix and egg whites to the broth after all of the roast and vegetables have been cooked and removed. 
7. Stir the mixture together well, and bring to a simmer but not a boil. All the ingredients should form a “raft” on top. Carefully poke a small hole in the center of the raft, and let the broth very lightly simmer for 30-45 minutes. Add salt and pepper if needed. Do not stir once the raft has formed.
8. The broth should become extremely clear. Reserve, and keep warm.
9. Carefully ladle out the liquid, and strain.
10. Warm the separate quart of beef broth, and add one portion of the meat and vegetables to gently warm them. This step is done because warming these ingredients may cloud the clear consommé. 
11. Remove the roast and vegetables from the stock, and arrange into an individual serving bowl.
12. Gently pour over the hot consommé, and serve with a side of grainy mustard, sour cream and baguette. Enjoy!

About

Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management and Baking/Pastry, and non-credit cooking and food classes through LLCC Community Education.

Cooking or food questions? Email epicuriosity101@llcc.edu.